Reference soil Spain 04: Luvisol

ES004

Luvisols occur mainly in temperate regions, particularly in areas with a Mediterranean-type of climate.

Characteristics

Soils having an argic horizon (a subsurface horizon with a distinct higher clay content than the overlying horizon) with a cation exchange capacity equal to or more than 24 cmolc per kg clay throughout.

Distribution of Luvisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

 

Reference soil ES004: Luvisols

Short field description: Deep, imperfectly drained, brown, sandy loam surface horizon, overlying with an abrupt textural change at 16 cm a brown slightly mottled loam; The structure of the lower horizon is very coarse prismatic and extremely hard; Many clayskins on structural faces and many prominent slickenslides. Occurance of cracks below 118 cm, extending towards depth. Below 75 cm many whitish coloured calcerous fragments of underlying weathered arkose.

 

Classification

WRB 2014 
Luvisol 
FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974
Orthi-Vertic LuvisolVertic Luvisol
- cmargic B horizon
- cmochric A horizon
-slickensides
-vertic
- cmargillic B horizon
- cmochric A horizon
-slickensides
-vertic